Hungary’s Prime Minister Says He’ll Ask Jewish Chess Legend Judit Polgár to Become President

Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar announced this evening (Sunday) that he plans to meet tomorrow with Hungarian-Jewish chess legend Judit Polgár and offer her the position of president of Hungary. Magyar wrote this on his Facebook account.

Polgár, 50, is considered the greatest female chess player of all time. At the height of her career, she was ranked among the 10 best chess players in the world and defeated world champions.

Magyar’s move comes about a week after the removal of Hungarian President Tamás Sulyok, an ally of former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. Sulyok was effectively removed in a parliamentary vote, where Magyar’s party holds a majority.

According to reports in Hungary, Polgár’s planned appointment is part of the new prime minister’s effort to promote prominent and widely respected figures within Hungary’s political system.